Locomotive draft regulating device



2 Sheets Sheet l y 6, 1933. J. G. BROWN LOCOMOTIVE DRAFT REGULATINGDEVICE Filed Oct. 4, 1932 May 16, 1933. J. G. BROWN LOCOMOTIVE DRAFTREGULATING DEVICE Filed Oct. 4, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jvwcwton d. 6.BROWN r 50 part of this specification,

Patented May 16, 1933 UNETD STATES JOHN G. BROWN, OF BUTTE, MONTANALOGOMOTIVE DRAFT REGULATING- DEVICE Application filed October 4, 1932.Serial No. 636,213.

My invention relates to a draft regulating device for the stack of arailway locomotive, or the like.

Many advantages are obtained by the use of the device embodying myinvention. There will be eliminated the practice of loading the firewith surplus coal, preparatory to the starting of a heavy train inorderto pre vent full stroke exhausts from pulling the 19 fire. A normal firewill be protected until the train is moving fast, and the violence ofexhaust is reduced. This will result in a saving of much coal, and willenable the fireman to start out with an even fire, free from probabilityof banks, with their resultant loss of heat and fuel. The device permitsthe fireman to control and regulate the burning of the fire so thatwaste of popping can be overcome, Without admitting blasts of cold airinto the fire box through the open fire door, or unnecessary working ofinjector. The intermittent adjustment of the device during a trip, asconditions permit, will make a it possible for the fireman to controltoo fast a burning of the fire, slow up the flow of gases, increase thetemperature of superheated steam in the superheater units, and use nomore coal than is necessary to generate the required amount of steam.The device may be so adjusted, that when the engine is working, thefireman may shake the grate and clean the fire, without danger of thefire pulling with the resultant loss of fuel. The quick adjustability ofthe device will render it possible for the fireman to protect his fireagainst the tearing effects of locomotive exhausts when conditionssubject the locomotive drivers to much slipping. The device can beadjusted to regulate the strength of 40 the draft upon the fire withouteffecting back pressure. The device is adapted at all times to provide asufiicient draft for keeping the fire active, but this draft is notsufficiently strong to pull cinders.

The device may be adjusted so that no fire will be thrown from thelocomotive stack, and also to prevent the discharge of back smoke andcinders.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a and in which like 14, whichnumerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a draft regulating device for a railwaylocomotive stack, embodying my invention,

Figure 2 is a horizontal section taken on line 22 of Figure 1, partsomitted.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal vertical section taken through the stack online 33 of Figure 1, showing the adjustable sleeve in the lowermostposition,

Figure 4 is a similar view showing the adjustable sleeve in theuppermost position,

Figure 5 is an enlarged vertical section taken on line 5-5 of Figure 3.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown apreferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 10 designates theshell of a railway locomotive boil er, having the usual smoke box 11,arranged above the table plate 12. Arranged beneath the table plate isthe usual nozzle 13, the upper discharge end of which projects above thetable plate for a substantial distance, as shown. The n0zzle 13 isconnected with the exhaust outlets of the cylinders of the locomotive,in the usual manner, for receiving exhaust steam therefrom.

The locomotive is equipped with a stack is mounted upon a tubular stackbase 15, and this stack base is, in turn, mounted upon a tubular stacksub-base 16.

The numeral 17 designates a tubular stack extension arranged beneath thesub-base 16, and suitably bolted or otherwise rigidly at tached thereto.It is thus seen that the several tubular elements are verticallyarranged and constitute, in effect, a stack element, of greater lengththan the usual stack. The stack extension 17 projects downwardly overthe nozzle 13, and is arranged in concentric relation thereto, andterminates at an elevation spaced a relatively short distance from theupper end of the nozzle. Satisfactory results can be obtained by havingthe stack extension spaced about eighteen inches from the top of thenozzle, while the invention is in no sense restricted to this precisedimension.

The tubular stack extension 17 is provided upon its periphery, andthroughout the major portion of its length, with apertures 18, which arepreferably tapered and increase in diameter inwardly. These aperturesmay have a diameter of three thirty-seconds (3 g) of an inch at theirsmall ends and five thirtyseconds of an inch at their large ends, butthe invention is in no sense restricted to these dimensions. The extremeupper and lower ends of the stack extensions 17 are imperforate.

Slidably mounted upon the stack extension 17 is a vertically adjustabledraft regulating imperforate sleeve 19, having a free sliding fitthereon. This sleeve is provided at its lower end with a marginal flange20, projecting outwardly beyond the sleeve and preferably disposed at anangle of 45 with respect to the longitudinal axis of the sleeve. Theinner engaging face of this flange is preferably ground smooth foreffecting a tight fit with its companion stationary flange 21, thecontacting face of which is also preferably ground smooth. The flange 21is carried by a plate 22, which is horizontally arranged and the flangeis disposed at an angle of 45 with respect to this plate. The exteriordiameter of the flange 21 is slightly smaller than the inner diameter ofthe flange 20, so that theseflanges will properly engage to formsubstantially a gas tight joint. The plate 22 is supported by brackets23, or the like. The plate 22 is provided centrally thereof with anopening 24, for receiving the upper end of the nozzle 13, the nozzlehaving a gas tight fit within this opening. The adjustable sleeve 19,Figure 5, is provided at its top with an internal groove 25, receiving asealing ring 26, which-is preferably formed of metal. This sealing ringis circular in cross-section and is held within the groove by clips 27,attached to the adjustable sleeve 19. It might be stated, at this point,that when the sleeve 19 is in the lowermost position, the apertures 18are completely uncovered, and when the sleeve is in the uppermostposition, these apertures are completely covered, and the sleeve may 4be adjusted to intermediate positions, for covering portions of theapertures.

Means are provided to raise and lower the adjustable sleeve 19 includinga horizontal rock shaft 28, having cylindrical extensions which arejournaled in bearings 29. This rock shaft extends transversely throughthe smoke box in front of the sleeve 19. Lever arms 30 are rigidlymounted upon this rock shaft upon opposite sides of the sleeve 19 andthese lever arms carry, at their forward ends,

counterweights 31. Links 32 are pivotally connected with the rear endsof the lever arms 30 and are pivotally connected with the sleeve 19 atdiametrically opposite points by trunnions 33, or

other pivotal elements. Arranged exterior of the shell 10 is a crank34;, for pivotal connection with a reach rod 35, pivotally connectedwith a shifting lever 36, pivoted at 37, to operate in proximity to atoothed quadrant 38, and having a latch mechanism for coactiontherewith. It is thus seen that means have been provided to shift thesleeve 19 vertically, and to lock the same in a selected adjustedposition. The lever 36 may be arranged within the locomotive cab for aconvenient reach of the fireman.

lVhile I have shown manually operated means for adjusting the sleeve 19,the invention is in no sense restricted to such means, as power operatedmeans may be employed, if desired.

The operation of the device is as follows:

When it is desired to provide a light draft upon the fire, butsufficient to keep the same burning, the sleeve 19 is adjusted to thelowermost position, whereby its flange 20 will seat upon the companionflange 22. This will completely close the lower end of the stackelement. However, the gases and products of combustion, to aconsiderable extent, will be drawn into the stack element through theapertures 18, due to the action cf the exhaust steam passing from thenozzle 13. When it is desired to increase the action of the exhaust uponthe fire, the lever 36 is shifted rearwardly, moving connecting rod 35rearwardly and swinging the rear ends of the lever arms 30 upwardly.Theselever arms raise the sleeve 19, thus providing an opening or spacebetween the flanges 20 and 21. The extent of this opening will dependupon the distance that the lever 36 is moved rearwardly. The sleeve maybe elevated to intermediate positions or to the uppermost position, asshown in Figure 4. In the uppermost position, the sleeve completelycovers the apertures 18, and the draft opening at the bottom of thestack element is then at the maximum.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown anddescribed is to be taken as the preferred example of the same, and thatvarious changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may beresorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention, or thescope of the subjoined claims.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A stack element leading into the smoke box of a railway locomotiveboiler and provided within such smoke box with apertures in itsperiphery, an exhaust nozzle projecting into the smoke box with theintake end of the stack element vertically spaced a sub stantialdistance from the exhaust nozzle, a plate mounted upon the nozzle andextending laterally therebeyond and provided at its periphery with atapered flange increasing in diameter spaced from the intake end of thestack element, an adjustable imperforate sleeve mounted upon the stackelement to cover certain of the apertures and provided at its lower endwith a tapered flange increasing in diameter downwardly, the flange ofthe sleeve being adapted to receive the flange of the plate, and meansto shift the sleeve longitudinally.

2. The combination with the shell of a railway locomotive boiler havinga smoke box, of a stack element leading into the smoke box, said stackelement being provided within the smoke box and upon its periphery withapertures, an exhaust nozzle projecting into the smoke box beneath theintake end of the stack element and vertically spaced from such intakeend, a plate arranged adjacent to the outlet end of the nozzle, animperforate sleeve slidably engaging the stack element within the smokebox, said imperforate sleeve being of such a length that when it is inthe uppermost position its upper end terminates at an elevation near theapertures, and means to move the imperforate sleeve downwardly so thatit uncovers the apertures upon its downward movement and may be broughtinto engagement with the contact plate.

In testimony whereof, I affiX my signature.

JOHN G. BROWN.

